by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Aug 3, 2016
Christine agreed to marry Mendel on the condition that he convert to Christianity and change his name to Matthew, which he did. On the morning after the wedding, the newly christened Matthew was about to don his talit and tefillin when his loving, devoted wife said to him: “Matthew, did you forget that you’re now a Christian?” With great chagrin Matthew cried out, “Oy, Goishe kop” (someone who fails to use his/her head, a non-Jewish head).
With every gentile nation to which the Jewish people have had the misfortune to be exiled, there exists a query regarding the political and religious leadership: are their leaders more evil than stupid, or more stupid than evil?
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jul 27, 2016
HaShem has many agents (to do his bidding).
The phrase is usually cited to point out an unexpected, inappropriate, even evil person who unknowingly and by his own free will served as HaShem’s agent to influence Jewish history. Beginning with Nimrod who threw Avraham and his belief in HaShem into a furnace, on to Paro of Egypt and to Haman whose authority was vested upon him when receiving the King’s ring.
Just as the 55 prophets sent by HaShem did not succeed in restoring the Jews of their times to the Torah way of life, whereas Haman did motivate the Jews to do tshuva, so too in our time we have witnessed unexpected agents of HaShem who have brought us to our senses.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jul 21, 2016
Zimri ben Salu, the prince of the tribe of Shimon, declared publicly before Moshe Rabbeinu and the Sanhedrin of his intention to commit a serious sin with the Midianite princess Kazvi bat Tzur. Pinchas, son of Elazar and grandson of Aharon the Kohen Gadol, entered Zimri’s tent and killed him and the Midianite woman.
Pinchas acted in accordance with the halachic principle that zealots may strike down the sinner, which is in force in limited circumstances – one of which is where a Jew publicly commits such a sin with an idolatrous gentile woman, and may be killed by a proven zealot who seeks only to honor HaShem out of no personal interest.
This halachic principle which stood at the base of Pinchas’ act is problematic.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jul 13, 2016
The infamous Bilam was greatly inspired by the configuration of the Jewish encampment and its particular way of life, and he called out (Bamidbar 23,9)
From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them (the Jewish nation of the future), a people that dwells apart and is not concerned by the (gentile) nations
An example of Jewish “dwelling apart” was told to me by one of our sons-in-law, who was sent by Tzahal to negotiate a transaction with the German Federal Police, whose headquarters is in the former Gestapo building in Berlin…
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jul 6, 2016
Every tractate of the Babylonian Talmud begins with page 2 (the letter bet). Why?
The reason I suggest is that even one who has studied the entire Talmud has not yet reached the first alef of the “real” Torah. “Real” Torah is not in the beit midrash. It is in the application of what is studied in the beit midrash to the realities of life and the challenges that HaShem places before every Jew and before the collective nation of Am Yisrael.
With Elie Wiesel Z”L, Rabbi Sacks, Former Chief Rabbi of the UK HaRav Michael Mark ZT”L and the young girl Hallel Yaffe Ariel A”H in mind…
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jun 29, 2016
In contrast to previous grass-root’s rebellions against Moshe, our parasha records a more potentially disastrous rebellion, instigated by Korach and other formidable personalities within the nation.
Korach was one of the four Levites who merited the task of holding the supporting poles of the holy Ark during the nation’s migration to each new encampment.
It is not clear from the text when this rebellion occurred. The suggestions range from before the Mishkan was erected, to after the Miraglim’s (spy’s) sin, to the end of the forty-year sojourn in the desert. It is also not clear what Korach’s claim was, since there were various allegations against Moshe in the text, each one voiced by a different special interest group within the rebellion.
